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AlGhazalisIhya-Book_of_Lawful_and_the_Unlawful, page : 5
The Unlawful for a Reason in Itself
The expounding of this is that the edible material on the earth is no more than
three types: either mineral, such as salt, mud, etc., or plant or animal.
Mineral: This is part of the earth and all that can be extracted from it. So eating it
is not forbidden unless it is a substance harmful to the body, as some of it is
poisonous. Bread, if it were harmful, would be forbidden.
Plants: Those, which are forbidden are only those, which intoxicate the mind, or
kill or destroy the health.
As to the intoxicants; these are anesthetic, alcohol and all intoxicants, which kill
and poison. Whatever destroys the health and medicine, which is used
unnecessarily.
Animals: These are divided into the edible and the inedible; we have expounded
these in the Book of the Ethics of Eating.
The expounding of this is that the edible material on the earth is no more than
three types: either mineral, such as salt, mud, etc., or plant or animal.
Mineral: This is part of the earth and all that can be extracted from it. So eating it
is not forbidden unless it is a substance harmful to the body, as some of it is
poisonous. Bread, if it were harmful, would be forbidden.
Plants: Those, which are forbidden are only those, which intoxicate the mind, or
kill or destroy the health.
As to the intoxicants; these are anesthetic, alcohol and all intoxicants, which kill
and poison. Whatever destroys the health and medicine, which is used
unnecessarily.
Animals: These are divided into the edible and the inedible; we have expounded
these in the Book of the Ethics of Eating.